Tempestuous Ch. 04

It was the beginning of the season, a bright new start screamed from the skies and a fresh dewy smell permeated the air. It was a season where the story started anew as it ended for good. It was an unusual spring to say the least, the rain was relentless, forcing everyone to take shelter lest the lightening lick their limbs and the thunder shake their bones. The constant down pour had become depressing and had most people staring out their windows wishing for the summer.

It had been the strangest of seasons for Tempest Rush, the sun seemed washed out and gray and she couldn't smell the usual delights of spring, she could only smell doom. The thirteen year old couldn't shake the feeling that something wicked was coming her way, something that would shake and destroy her entire world.

This was the season for clarity and sense for her, the season she discovered she was fighting herself. She'd recently discovered she was loosing the long- standing war with Dante, and she was the key component to her opponent's upcoming victory. She was discovering that her inner animosity was misdirected and realizing that it wasn't hatred that she felt for Dante. So while the girls around her discovered the once hated boys in their class were actually cute, and idolized the pop stars they plastered all over their walls; Tempest discovered Dante, on a whole different level.

She had strange and undefined feelings for him and every time she was near him she felt a familiar thrill, a surreal tickle low in her belly. She was at war within her own body and mind- one minute she wanted to do something particularly wicked to him, spending hours formulating the prank that would out do all of her previous pranks; at other times she wanted to hug him or talk to him. Once she had to vehemently fight the urge to kiss his full lips. But during all of it she was having very strange feelings in certain parts of her body that she wasn't previously aware of.

Dante had never been impressed by Tempest's antics, so whenever she did attempt to speak to him, he yelled at her and told her to get lost. He had always been a moody brute, since she could remember, and she wasn't sure why she liked him for it, but she did. She found she had admired him for many different traits over the years; that fierce competitiveness he had, that natural authority, the way he didn't seem to care what others thought. He was a genius but he never bragged, he just did his own thing, the hell with everyone else. She understood that driven demon he held at bay; she had one of her own.

***

The rain had an amazing way of bringing family and friends together like nothing else could. Normally Darleen took advantage of such stormy weather and brought everyone together for a big family gathering

Tonight was different, neither the ritual family congregations, nor the storm had been reasons for this gathering. Darleen and her best friend Antoinette Rush had gathered together at the Stone home to discuss a daunting issue...

Her youngest son Diago was missing and they were there to come up with a plan to find him. Darleen and Antoinette sat at the end of the very long dining table so consumed in their conversation they were oblivious to anything else going on around them.

Dorian Stone on the other hand was sick with grief and would take tonight off from discussing the whereabouts of his son Diago. He needed a break and Ezekiel Rush was just the distraction he needed. Dorian and Ezekiel Rush had been immediate friends since the moment they met. It wasn't just the normal our wives are best friends so we should follow suit type of friendship. They were genuinely friends and shared many of the same passions and pastimes. They also knew how to tune out the loud family and get engrossed in their ritualistic, friendly albeit contemplative game of chess. Now they sat at the same end of the dinner table discussing business sports and ignoring everyone else around them.

At the other end of the very long table were Dante, Davis and Tempest. Dante was here for a small break and although he adamantly protested joining them for dinner, his mother would hear none of it. The fact that he was 23 years old was irrelevant to his mother and he knew if he did not participate there would be hell to pay.

Davis on the other hand, always took advantage of a good meal and the chance to watch Tempest pester Dante. Davis looked to see that Dante was still reading the paper, not paying attention to them, then he

Turned to Tempest and handed her a package wrapped in red paper.

"What's this?" she asked as she eagerly snatched the present from him.

"Mom said you did an amazing job at the concert and that your piano solo was the highlight of the evening." he said as he watched her tear the paper from the present.

"since I wasn't able to be there-"

"Cause you were out being a smut." she interjected

"I figured I owed you one." he finished then smiled as he watched her eyes grow wide with excitement.

"I love it!" she said holding the feminine sterling silver BB gun.

"Yeah, that's just what she needs." Dante said with a look of disgust on his face, his paper folded down so he could see them.

"She wanted it." Davis explained.

"Just like she wanted the slingshot you gave her 2 years ago, which she promptly took to school and put a BB in a classmates leg.

"Hey, Thomas Crown is a pervert who tried to grab my butt, he got what he deserved." she shook her head, "If you had of heard the things he said to me, you would have shot him too."

"Stop encouraging her, Davis." Dante said in a low voice.

Over the years, Tempest had formed a bond with the two younger Stone boys, Davis and Diago. Diago was five years older than her and had been the one responsible for teaching her to fight so well. Davis was seven years older than her and had been the first person to introduce her to archery. She fell in love with the sport the very first time she played it and had quickly become as good as Davis.

Davis had taken an interest in Tempest's pranks early on; when he was younger he was known for his own pranks. Davis had been tired of being bullied by his brutish older brother Dante, and pulling pranks on him was the only thing that made him feel better. Dante had always been Davis' main target, despite the beat down he could expect from his older brother once the prank was executed.

Naturally Davis's prior knowledge of pranks had been a key ingredient to Tempest's own schemes. It didn't take long for him to realize that Tempest was gunning for Dante like Davis had when he was her age. It was a perfect plan for a vengeful younger brother; he could live vicariously through his god sister who was too young to get in trouble, but smart and bold enough to torment the original tormenter, Mr. Dante Stone himself.

Even Diago delighted in seeing the pranks, he too had been a victim of his elder brother's tyrannical ways. Even though they were significantly older than Tempest and way too old to still be involved in such childish stunts, they couldn't help it, it felt good to watch Dante get his just due. Only she was able to accomplish what they had prayed for as children, to finally get one over on Dante.

While Dante was a tyrant, he wasn't a bully, per se. He would never retaliate against Tempest for obvious reasons. First of all she was a child, a little girl about the size of his leg- fighting back was not even an option. Therefore, Dante was defenseless against Tempest and his younger brothers reveled in it, wishing they had the power to do the same.

"So where's Dio? Tempest asked. And don't keep telling me he's in Europe for the summer", she hadn't seen Diago since they arrived and she didn't buy that vacationing excuse. Everyone in the house was being overly secretive and dramatically suspicious and she knew something was going on.

"He's um-" Davis began

"He's in Europe." Dante said from behind the newspaper he was reading and Tempest glared at him, although he could not see her face.

"Fine, then, I'll just find out on my own," she said, taking a sip of her strawberry soda before she turned to Davis with an angelic smile.. "or I could just text that questionable picture of you and Buffy Claire to Muffy Claire." Davis looked at her with a raised brow.

Muffy and Buffy were twins who had enjoyed sharing Davis at first, however some where along the line, began fighting over him. He liked them both and as long as they were both remained willing to give it up, he was willing to take it. Davis however, also knew their tantric, acrobatic sex sessions would end if one twin knew he was still with the other one. He really enjoyed the twins' talents and was not willing to give that up just yet.

"You better not." Davis said as he grinned, the child was relentless when she wanted something.

"But you know I will." Tempest smiled as sweetly as she could.

"He ran away." Davis answered her honestly.

"Davis!" Dante snapped folding his paper in half.

"She would have found out anyway." he shrugged as Dante glared at him for a moment before going back to reading his newspaper.

"Yeah right." she shook her head

"He did." Davis said shoveling a ridiculously large chunk of steak in his mouth

"He's probably at 'el Diablo's' house."

"No, he's not at Jake's." Davis shook his head as he continued to inhale his food.

"So then where is he?" not believing him in the least. Diago was the golden child, he wouldn't just run away.